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From An Analyst To One of The Most Influential Women in America & Founding Human Ventures w/ Heather Hartnett (CEO & GP)

E96 • Mar 15, 2023 • 17 mins

In this episode, Shamus Madan talks with Heather Hartnett about her journey with Human Ventures. They delve into the tech ecosystem, discuss evaluating potential ventures, and share insights into their founder community. Heather also provides advice for aspiring fund managers, the role of hospitality in business, and the dynamics of social media.

Key Points

Heather Harnett, CEO of Human Ventures, emphasizes the importance of creating value in venture capital by building from scratch and providing resources to accelerate founders' progress.
In the New York tech ecosystem, community and relationships are key, with Human Ventures fostering a network where founders and investors support each other, amplifying the benefits of a collaborative environment.
Harnett advises aspiring venture fund managers to focus on how they can add unique value to the ecosystem, highlighting that success in venture capital stems from a combination of risk tolerance, execution, and the ability to continuously build and leverage networks.

Heather Hartnett is the founding partner of Human Ventures. The firm is a startup studio and a venture firm investing in wellness and digital health. It is backed by renowned investors, including Ray Dalio of Bridgewater, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, and James Murdoch.

As the CEO of Human Ventures, she has created one of New York's premier startup studios and early-stage venture funds. Since launching under Heather's leadership, Human Ventures has invested in and co-built more than 65 companies, with key investments including Reserve (acquired), Current, TheSkimm, Tiny Organics, and Tia Health. Those companies have grown to more than $7.5 billion in enterprise value and have raised over $500 million in additional capital from notable later-stage investors.

As one of The 50 Most Influential Women in America by Hearst Digital Media Publications, Heather is a frequent speaker at TechCrunch Disrupt and a regular contributor to Forbes, where she covers various venture capital topics.

Twitter of Host (Shamus Madan): @mbitpodcast

Twitter of Guest (Heather Hartnett): @HeatherHartnett

Learn more about Human Ventures here: https://human.vc/

NOTE: Podcast intro and outro background music on behalf of Superhero (Heroes & Villans) by Metro Boomin.

Speakers

Heather Hartnett

Guest • 65%

Shamus Madan

Guest • 35%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction to Heather Hartnett and Human Ventures
2:45	Evolution and focus of Human Ventures in the tech ecosystem
6:06	Discussion on evaluating potential ventures and avoiding bias
9:31	Insights into the community of founders and the human-first principle at Human Ventures
11:43	Venture into a luxury tequila brand and the role of hospitality in business
12:54	Advice for aspiring fund managers and the importance of adding value
13:56	The impact of taking risks, focus, and execution in business success
15:01	The importance of relationships, giving value and the dynamics of social media
16:10	Closing remarks and thanks to Heather Hartnett

Transcript

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